An Artist's Garden in Phoenix: Where Beauty, Whimsy, and History Intertwine

Some gardens captivate with beauty and individuality. This Phoenix artist's garden in a historic district surrounds old adobe structures and belongs to Suzanne Bracker, who has filled it with bright color splashes, unexpected whimsical repurposed items, and her own art blending seamlessly with plants. "My garden continues to evolve," she says. "Every day in my garden is a new beginning."

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Yard at a Glance

• Resident: Suzanne Bracker
• Location: Phoenix
• Size: Half acre

A Historic District Transformed

A small historic district lies a few blocks from downtown Phoenix, where 1930s adobe homes sit on generous lots. On Flower Street, an artist's garden awaits with unexpected discoveries and scattered whimsy.

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Garden gates beguile as we imagine what lies beyond. A bougainvillea shrub adds welcome color against the gate.

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Entering the garden, the arbor's gentle blue shades and bright purple and yellow painted chairs lure you deeper.

This garden spans two former properties. Bracker bought the first in 1993, the adjacent lot three years later. She worked with an architect to unify them, creating a courtyard on the former property line.

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Poured-in-place concrete steps lead through 'New Gold' lantana (Lantana 'New Gold') toward Bracker's studio.

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Arching golden dewdrop (Duranta erecta) branches frame the walkway, with purple flowers in summer and fall. This large shrub grows 10+ feet tall and wide, hardy to 20°F (-6.6°C).

Adobe Heritage Preserved

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Three original adobe buildings remain. One, originally a storage shed, houses Bracker's studio—the property line once ran through its middle, with former residents each using one half. Now Bracker owns both halves. She lives in the second building and rents the third.

Medium river rock and flagstone pavers flank the entry, a study in contrasts.

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Inside the studio, clay sculptures in various stages sit against original adobe wall. Bracker works in clay, paper, mosaics, and fibers.

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A message for future owners resides inside the adobe wall, where original materials including straw are visible. Adobe—mud and straw—keeps homes cool in summer, warm in winter.

Whimsy in Every Corner

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Bracker in her "graveyard"—where she displays clay heads that broke off during firing.

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The garden still uses 1930s irrigation—concrete pipes bringing canal water to individual gardens.

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Old concrete irrigation pipes find new life as garden art. A 16-year tenant gathered them and helped Bracker mount pipes on raised concrete blocks.

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Lavender rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) flowers grace the guesthouse front.

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Colorful metal lawn chairs nod to the property's history and invite gardening breaks in beautiful shady spots.

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An old toy truck and car discovered in the garden now serve as rustic art on a palm stump. Other stumps became outdoor tables with glass tops.

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A chicken coop enjoys a prominent pergola spot, where Picasso the colorful rooster holds court.

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A path of steppingstones and broken concrete (urbanite) runs through a pergola shaded by a large Lady Banks' rose (Rosa banksiae). In spring, pale yellow roses fill this shady spot with fragrance.

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Glass beads from mosaic leftovers fill flagstone cracks, catching the eye with unexpected glimmer.

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Unique pieces of Bracker's work decorate outdoor spaces, including this mosaic wall hanging.

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Original adobe window weights now hang from the trellis as decorative elements speaking to the house's history. A snail vine (Vigna caracalla) climbs a rusted metal trellis.

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Crystals from an old chandelier hang alongside snail vine tendrils. On sunny days they produce tiny rainbows. Snail vines bloom light purple, spring through fall, resembling snail shells.

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The chain-link fence is transformed by hanging old creamers, a kettle, and antique oil cans along the top. "The tranquility, countless stories, and positive energy radiate from my garden. This is what inspires me. It is what I thrive on," Bracker says.

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A covered porch connected to an adobe building serves as an outdoor office with brightly colored walls and desk.

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Vibrant blue contrasts with bougainvillea foliage. A young purple lilac vine (Hardenbergia violaceae) climbs an arbor, while Arabian jasmine (Jasminum sambac) blooms white and fragrant spring through fall.

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A jujube tree (Ziziphus jujuba) filled with berries—seldom seen in residential gardens but thriving in the Southwest's heat. Berries (Chinese dates) taste like apples, appear late summer. Trees typically reach 15 feet but can hit 40 feet. Native to the Mediterranean, hardy to -15°F (-26.1°C).

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A blossom from the rare white-flowering yellow oleander (Thevetia peruviana 'Alba')—related to common Nerium oleander with yellow/orange blooms. Grow as large shrub or small tree. All parts poisonous, like its cousins.

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The neighborhood of small adobe homes was established during the Great Depression. The federal Subsistence Homesteads Division (1933) created 34 such farm-based communities nationwide, four in the West—low-income residents grew food while holding downtown jobs. Branches of 80-year-old aleppo pines (Pinus halepensis), interspersed with Mexican fan palms (Washingtonia robusta), arch over the streets.